Yes! My favorite season is here and miraculously, Nashville has had the weather to go with it. I’m in autumnal heaven!

And right about now, I get the itch to pull out my fall decor. I usually try and wait until the first weekend in September and then it comes out in waves.

Wave One: general autumn decorations

Wave Two: last weekend in September, I add the Halloween decorations

Wave Three: November 1, Halloween comes down and Thanksgiving goes up

Over the years I’ve collected a modest, but nice collection of seasonal decorations. I like to add a little something each year (when it all goes on sale!) so that I have a new something to set out the next year.

I concentrate on three rooms: kitchen, dining room & living room. Those are the spaces where we spend the most time on a daily basis and I like being surrounded by the sights and scents of fall in those rooms. But there is one area of my home that has been sadly neglected. My front porch. I have a wreath that goes on the front door, that is it. Yet, all the things I’ve read about home decorating suggest making your front porch/stoop/landing/entry areas inviting and welcoming.

This year, I’d really like to do something about that. My friend and fellow Blissfully Domestic editor, Melissa of The Inspired Room is running a contest for a $200 shopping spree at HomeGoods (the TJMaxx store, which I adore and always find lovely things for my home there). Melissa wants us to take a picture of the area of our home we’d like to improve for fall. So, it is with much chagrin and intestinal fortitude that I offer the following pictures of my front porch. (I’m warning you, it’s ugly.)

Now, I’ll break it down for you bit by bit.

In a nutshell, if I am granted the gift card, the front porch will get a fun makeover! And I won’t be embarrassed to answer the door when you come over for homemade pumpkin bread & hot apple cider!

What about you? Do you decorate for autumn? Is there something in particular that you look forward to setting out to celebrate the season?

I have a so-called laundry list of things I’d like to do for my home as well. Windows & doors are definitely on that list. I keep thinking that some day, (probably after we get the kids through college!) I’m going to revamp this place to the point it won’t even be recognizable as the house it once was!

oh, i just LOVE autumn…my very favorite. unfortunately, our weather isn’t cooperating so far and so i’m not feeling very inspired yet. i’ll bust out the fall decorations in the next couple of weeks, though. woot!

Sorry this weather has reached down to your neck of the woods! Most years I have to” talk myself” into a fall mood by putting out decorations because the weather sometimes doesn’t feel even close to “fall-ish” until October.

Oh, honey, you ain’t got nothin’ on my front porch ugly! You can spiff that thing up in no time! I agree with all your ideas, and will probably do the same things for my porch. MY front porch needs all that you described, plus repainting the porch, repainting or replacing the shutters, recaulking the window panes, repainting the windows…hmm…let’s see if I left anything out…oh yeah! Repainting the front door! : )